Baltimore County gets FEMA grant for Sandy damage

Storm preparations and damage cost county $3.4 million

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will grant Baltimore County disaster aid to help pay for damage from Superstorm Sandy, officials announced Thursday.

Under the grant program, the federal government will reimburse the county for expenses, including storm preparation, debris removal and damage to public facilities related to the October storm.

Officials estimate that storm preparations and damage cost the county $3.4 million, said county public safety spokeswoman Elise Armacost. As part of the FEMA grant program, the federal government reimburses local governments for at least 75 percent of eligible costs.

All other jurisdictions in Maryland had already been approved for the aid.

The county did not receive approval earlier because it took some time for the county to assess damage, Armacost said.